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You shoud make your team as balanced as possible, so it can cope with all situations. Rapid Spinners are important for Spikers, Suction Cups (Cradily and Octillery) can't be blown/roared away, and Wish/Reflect/Light Screen still effect after the user has switched out/fainted.

Al, Arena Trap is actually very good on Dugtrio, as most of the slower electrics who wouldn't get a chance to HP Ice/Water/Ground Dugtrio before he 'quaked them are prevented from being replaced with a fly/levitater.

Also, a very important stragdy that has gotten me far is type couter matching.
That is, teaching a Pokemon an attack that is strong against the type or type its weak against.

The easiest one is a Water type knowing Ice Beam to attack the Grasser it'll most likely face.
Others I've used include
Electric type knowing Iron Tail (it's a very good idea) for Rock/Ground types
Flying type knowing Steel Wing for Rock and Ice enemies
Pure Ground knowing Rock Tomb for Flyers and Ice types
Fire Type knowing Dig for Rock enemies (beware of Earthquake though and attach a focus band)
Water knowing Earthquake for Electric Pokemon
There are others.

Type counter matching is a good way to battle. It can save a turn taken usually by switching. Also, you have a very nasty surprise for your opponent when they think they have the advantage.

Some people don't think it's funny that Exit 69 gets off on Big Beaver.

Although sometimes there are better options. If you're into EP training, you won't want an Electric type with Iron Tail and the like unless it has a really good attack, which is true of exactly no Electric types save Zapdos, because you'll need all the attacking EPs you can get, and splitting them between Physical and Special isn't a good idea usually.

Actually, Big Al, Dugtrio is a viable option on RSBot with Arena Trap. Since Magneton is so popular as a Skarmory killer, an Arena Trapping Dugtrio is a handy counter if you have a Skarmory on your team too...heck, even if you don't, it gets rid of a common Electric-type, so it's useful.

I suggest giving Pokemon many different attack types, ie having a water pokemon with only water attacks will mean it gets creamed. Give it Blizzard to beat grass types. Give pokemon unusual attacks that will shock your opponent ie Seviper with Earthquake. A lot of people won't expect this and it helps against other poison types (poison bad vs poison). Have as many pokemon types as possible in your moveset to be effective against ANYTHING. Also, use a pokemon type as another, like if you can't get a good Dark type, most other types will learn Crunch, mainly dragons. Multi-type pokemon are more likely to learn more types of move and one type could cover the weakness of another against some pokemon, like Kingdra, whose Water types protects it Dragon from Ice

That's essentially just the first rule, and anyway, Blizzard sucks. Or maybe it doesn't? In double team, if it only hits one person then is the power halved anyway? If it isn't then you've got yourself a better attack than Hydro Pump, just with a random target.

Pointful part of post:
99% of the time more accuracy is better than more power
Thunder<Thunderbolt
Hydro Pump<Surf
FireBlast<Flamthrower
Blizzard<Ice Beam

That's essentially just the first rule, and anyway, Blizzard sucks. Or maybe it doesn't? In double team, if it only hits one person then is the power halved anyway? If it isn't then you've got yourself a better attack than Hydro Pump, just with a random target.

Pointful part of post:
99% of the time more accuracy is better than more power
Thunder<Thunderbolt
Hydro Pump<Surf
FireBlast<Flamthrower
Blizzard<Ice Beam

What I meant with Blizzard was the Ice Type, not the move. I know the importance of stat raisers etc, I got bored of typing. Thats why I replaced Blaziken's Dig (Crap, very counterable) with Bulk Up (Raises Att + Def, helps it win faster and survive longer with physical attacks) long ago, and anyway, I prefer to use added effects of attacks (yes, they do work, quite often for me, strangely) Another thing, paralysis etc can lower stats of an opponent, which is another way of beating your foe into the ground. There are millions of strategies in Pokemon and I can't be expected to mention them all, or even some of the obvious ones. Please don't moan in future if I miss something. Oh, and in a double battle, Blizzard can take out two grass types one after the other far, far, far, far, far, etc quicker than Surf (Weak vs grass? Yup) even if it hits both. Plus, most water types are also ice type eg Walrein. And where did Hydro Pump Come from? I never mentioned it!

[QUOTE=Geodude]5. Relying on legendaries on your team may be fun, and there's nothing really wrong with doing so, but don't claim to have any skill as a result of winning battles using them. Legendaries help you develop no skill whatsoever.
QUOTE]

Tis true that having legendaries is no way of developing skill, plus anyone with skill can destroy them with 'weaker' pokemon. Only use a legendary if it is your favourite pokemon and even then don't have more than one.

Blizzard might be a bit more useful for double battles, but no one would send out two grass types, and at once. And what about fire types? Surf would take out two much faster than blizzard would. Unless your building a pokemon made to take out two grass types at once in doubles battles like it happens a lot. The power isn't halved, however.

Big Al, why avoid truant? It's only on Slaking and Slakoth, and Slaking is still very powerful. Most attack ever(except FR Depxys), same total base stats as Kyogre or Groudon(about 670 or so). The effect itself is bad, but many people use Slaikng. You could even have your other pokemon in a double battle skill swap him.

Special sweepers are often able to take out opponents with weaker moves without risking accuracy. They have high special attack. Use ice beam over blizzard when not fighting Lugias and Latias's. Accuracy is important. Who uses zap canon instead of thunderbolt? For thundder, you could raise its accuracy with rain dance so it would be better than thunderbolt, if you're willing to give up a move slot.

If you ask me Slaking is pretty horrible. His Truant ability essentially halves his usefulness. His high overall Attack/base stats mean nothing when your opponent is still getting a free turn each round.

I don't think so. He can KO almost anything in one hit, and it will probably take at least 1-2 hits to kill him, I think he could take out at least one opponent before he dies. So if he kills an opponent, takes a hit, and kill another, then that's pretty good. Even if he's slower, he'll probably take down one. Have you tried him? I don't think there are better physical attackers, who are about doing damage, not avoiding it. A physical attcker Salamence without truant could defeat some in one hit, but not as much as Slaking.
That's just my opinion. Don't use Sla if you don't like him.

If you ask me Slaking is pretty horrible. His Truant ability essentially halves his usefulness. His high overall Attack/base stats mean nothing when your opponent is still getting a free turn each round.

Oh yeah? Just take a Slaking into Colosseum, pair it up with a partner that knows Skill Swap, and THEN see what you say.

There's also an exception for Zangoose. Swords Dance, Quick Attack, Return, Protect/Shadow Ball is a common set for it, because both normal attacks do different things.

3. The typed held items, such as Mystic Water, suck. Don't waste your time with them. They only raise the power of attacks of their type by 10%, it's not worth it. Quick Claw also sucks, it only works 8% of the time. Again, not worth it.

Harder to say now with stats being changed so much from G/S, but sometimes they're useful when it can make a difference between a 1HitKO and a 2HitKO. Quick Claw also isn't that bad. It's funny to see a Salamence get KO'd by a slower Registeel's Explosion because of Quick Claw

One of the best strategies is Will-O-Wisp, Spikes, and Toxic. It's really easy to chew up HP, and because of how poison works now, it's hard to get around it, until Heal Bell'er come back, that is. ._.;

1. Yes, that's an exception because of their obviously different purposes. There's a similar case with Dodrio and Swellow.

2. Meh, no, there's always better options than the typed items. Unless you're on RSBot with a Dugtrio and want to hide your lack of Choice Band. It's a learning curve thing. You first learn the rule, then you learn the advanced exceptions later. And gimme Leftovers over Quick Claw that only works 8% of the time anyday.

2. Meh, no, there's always better options than the typed items. Unless you're on RSBot with a Dugtrio and want to hide your lack of Choice Band. It's a learning curve thing. You first learn the rule, then you learn the advanced exceptions later. And gimme Leftovers over Quick Claw that only works 8% of the time anyday.

There's not always better options than typed items. With an item limit in most matches, you can't have everyone use Choice Band and Salac Berry. Sometimes Explosion used by something won't quite 1HitKO its opponent, but with lets say Pink Bow, it can. Surf from Starmie may 3HKO something, but with Mystic Water is does it in 2. Although the boost seems small, it can make a difference.

There's not always better options than typed items. With an item limit in most matches, you can't have everyone use Choice Band and Salac Berry. Sometimes Explosion used by something won't quite 1HitKO its opponent, but with lets say Pink Bow, it can. Surf from Starmie may 3HKO something, but with Mystic Water is does it in 2. Although the boost seems small, it can make a difference.

That's why the standard Shiftry-Explosion set has Silk Scarf. They are used in some circumstances, I agree, but I find that other Items and berries come in handy more.